Stadium with mobile seating sections



Aug. 25, 1970 H. c. HARBERS T 3,525,134

STADIUM WITH MOBILE SEATING SECTIONS Filed Dec. 18, 196'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 INVENTORS.

HEN/9y 6: #425553 flax/2y c: M25625, f5

the few parts involved may be readily applied to another machine. By the same token, the simple connection enables a ready change in the orientation and disposal of the entrance end of the hood in reference to machine having more than one cutting tool position.

The collector box is particularly advantageous for use in the collection of heavier wet finds. The box might, moreover, be provided with a damping or neutralizing agent should the collected materials be flammable or of an otherwise hazardous nature.

It should be further obvious that the simple system has the advantage that it may be used with a central vacuum source as well as being made self-contained by the application to the collector box 13 per se of the vacuum pump 14.

From the preceding it should be readily apparent that a very simple, exceedingly economical, and universally adaptable collector system derives from the present invention which may be advantageously employed in conjunction with a variety of machine tools. It is a characteristic of the use of invention embodiments that in any instance they accomplish an extremely high reduction of air pollution in a machine shop. Also, they are low in cost to install and maintain and occupy a minimum amount of space. Installations where embodiments have been employed have borne out these facts.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise but one of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for collecting dust, vapors and solids produced in the operation of grinders and like cutting tools comprising a funnel-like hood unit having a base adapted for a releasable fixed attachment to a machine frame to dispose its entrance end in a constant most favorable position to embrace the working area of a cutting tool, said entrance end including an overlying hood portion arranged to provide access to said cutting tool and so disposed to intercept the dust and vapors which tend to rise and flare out from the point of their production at the cutting tool and the base of said hood unit being so related to receive grit and shavings which are projected downwardly from the point of their production at the cutting tool, said entrance end providing the maximal cross sectional area of said hood unit and the remote discharge end of said hood unit having a form providing its minimal cross sectional area, the entrance end of said overlying hood portion projecting to dispose itself in overlapping relation to the entrance end of said base.

2. Apparatus for collecting dust, vapors and solids produced in the operation of grinders and like cutting tools comprising a funnel-like hood unit having a base adapted for a releasable fixed attachment to a machine frame to dispose its entrance end in a constant most favorable position to embrace the working area of a cutting tool, said entrance end including an overlying hood portion arranged to provide access to said cutting tool and so downwardly from the point of their production at the cutting tool, said entrance end providing the maximal cross sectional area of said hood unit and the remote discharge end of said hood unit having a form providing its minimal cross sectional area, the base of said hood unit including a substantially flat portion adapted for a flush seat to a machine table or like surface and said overlying hood portion being inclined upwardly therefrom in the direction of the entrance end of said funnel-like hood unit, said overlying hood portion having a hinged relation to the remainder of said funnel-like hood unit and being generally triangular in side elevation and per se defining the top and substantially the'two vertical sides of the entrance end of said hood unit.

3. Apparatus for collecting dust, vapors and solids produced in the operation of grinders and like cutting tools comprising a funnel-like hood unit having a base adapted for a releasable fixed attachment to a machine frame to dispose its entrance end in a constant most favorable position to embrace the working area of a cutting tool, said entrance end including an overlying hood portion arranged to provide access to said cutting tool and so disposed to intercept the dust and vapors which tend to rise disposed to intercept the dust and vapors which tend to and flare out from the point of their production at the cutting tool and the base of said hood unit being so related to receive grit and shavings which are projected downwardly from the point of their production at the cutting tool, said entrance end providing the maximal cross sectional area of said hood unit and the remote discharge end of said hood unit having a form providing its minimal cross sectional area, said hood unit being comprised of a body element including said base and being formed at said remote end with a tubular extension providing a discharge opening from said hood unit, said body element having at its opposite end an opening which is substantially framed by three flanged portions at least two of which lie in a common plane inclining to and rearwardly of said hood base, said overlying hood portion being provided by a displaceable element the sides of which normally seat to said flanged portions to define thereby an enlarged entrance end for said hood unit.

4. Apparatus as in claim 1 characterized by said overlying hood portion to the entrance end of said body being defined by a retractable section including a top normally forwardly projected cover section having forwardly inclined laterally spaced side walls.

5. Apparatus as in claim 4 characterized in that the base of said hood unit is provided on a funnel contoured body section including side walls providing means defining inclined surfaces for seating the side walls of said overlying hood portion.

6. Apparatus for collecting dust, vapors and solids produced in the operation of grinders and like cutting tools, comprising a collector body having oppositely disposed entrance and outlet ends and adapted to be mounted with its entrance end facing a work area, the entrance end comprising forwardly projecting laterally spaced apart sidewalls inclining rearwardly along their upper edges ina'cornmon plane from forward extremities toward'said outlet end, lower edges of said sidewalls being turned inward to define a bottom adapted to be fixed to a supporting surface, said body being open at its top between said sidewalls, a cover adapted to assume a position of rest on said sidewalls and having sides forming upward continuations of said sidewalls and an interconnecting top member projected by said sides to be disposed as an angularly extending deflector over the entrance end of said body, said cover cooperating with said sidewalls to define'a wide mouth at the entrance end of said body to allow a close approach of the hood into the work area.

7. Apparatus as in claim '6 wherein said body sides are of generally triangular configuration and said cover is pivotally connected to said body at apices of said triangular sides allowing it to be retracted in a direction away from the work area for access thereto.

United States Patent STADIUM WITH MOBILE SEATING SECTIONS Henry C. Harbers, Pasadena, and Henry C. Harbers, Jr.,

La Puente, Califi, assignors to Western Unit Corporation, City of Industry, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Dec. 18, 1967, Ser. No. 691,279 Int. Cl. E04h 3/12 US. Cl. 52-9 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A stadium having mobile spectator seating sections selectively supportable on fixed supports and on selfcastering dollies equipped with readily inflated and deflated air cushions effective when inflated to support the seating sections on the dollies for movement to a different viewing location relative to a stadium playing area. Preferably, the dollies bear no substantial load except when in use to move the sections between places of use. The dollies include means for controlling inflation and deflation of the air cushions and actuation of brake means for controlling castering.

This invention relates to sports arenas and stadiums and more particularly to a novel and improved spectator seating arrangement utilizing a plurality of mobile seating sections so constructed as to facilitate their movement from place to place relative to the playing area.

Heretofore it has been the practice to construct large capacity playing fields and arenas with spectator seating facilities arranged most suitably for a selected sport. In consequence certain of the seating facilities are not conveniently located and well suited for use in viewing other sports. For example, it is preferable that the seating arrangement for baseball embrace home base and extend along both foul lines, whereas a preferred arrangement for viewing football, soccer and other sports is to have the seating facilities distributed along the opposite midlengths of the field. Numerous other distributions could be mentioned but these are illustrative of a long standing problem not satisfactorily resolved prior to the present invention.

Sports arenas should be centrally located in populated areas where ground costs are necessarily at a premium. It is of paramount importance that the fullest and most efficient use be made of the ground and that the largest possible number of spectators be accommodated in seats so located as to command a maximum price.

To avoid the disadvantages and shortcomings of prior seating arrangements and to meet the desirable objectives noted above, there is provided by the present invention a unique seating facility including one or more seating sections readily movable from place to place with a minimum of effort and expense. Desirably, certain portions of the seating facilities can be permanently installed while others are constructed for expeditious move ment wherever desired and found most convenient and suitable for use. To this end the mobile portions of the stadium are sub-divided into major sections each mounted on a plurality of similar castering dolly assemblies each equipped with suitable means for lifting the sections off their normal supports. Such means may comprise inflatable and deflatable air pillows or the like forming part 3,525,184 Patented Aug. 25, 1970 ice ficiently to lower the stadium sections onto the fixed supports. Prior to movement of the sections to a new location, the air pillows or the like are inflated or otherwise extended sufliciently to elevate the stadium sections for support on the dolly assemblies.

To facilitate maneuvering the sections from one place to another the stadium is preferably equipped with a series of snubbing devices arranged about the perimeter of the area and to which pulley blocks, cabling and power winches can be connected selectively and in a manner appropriate to move the sections from one place to another. Each section is also preferably equipped with plumbing and control valves for regulating the supply and release of air to the air pillows. These controls preferably include self-leveling valve means on each of the dolly assemblies arranged and operating to distribute the load equitably between the dolly assembly despite variations in the terrain or its load-supporting ability. Desirability, suflicient dollies are employed to permit movement of massive sections of the stadium over turf without need for tracking and without risk of injury to the turf or the forming grooves in the ground as the wheels pass.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a unique and improved spectator scating facility equipped to be moved from place to place relative to a playing field.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved apparatus and method for moving a massive rigid structure under conditions likely to involve changes in loading or in the level of different portions of the ground being traversed and utilizing a multiplicity of carriages each equipped with load-supporting low-pressure air pillows to provide a multiplicity of pneumatic air cushions between the underside of the structure and the carriages.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a sporting arena equipped with both permanently installed and mobile seating facilities, the latter being equipped with wheel means selectively usable to support the section while being moved to a different location.

Another object of the invention is the provision of spectator seating facilities equipped with castering dolly assemblies provided with fluid activated means for supporting the seating facilities selectively from fixed supports on the dollies.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a stadium construction and a technique by which at least portions of the seating facilities can be moved from place to place along the perimeter of the playing area and found most convenient for viewing different sports events.

These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawing to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawing in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are schematic plan views of a sports arena equipped with mobile and non-mobile seating facilities and indicating in a general way different modes for utilizing power winch means and cabling gear to shift the movable facilities between different places of use;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of one of the castering dolly assemblies employed to support one of the mobile seating sections;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 on FIG. 3, the full line showing the position of the parts with the air springs deflated and the dot-and-dash lines indicating the position of the components when the air springs are inflated;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view representing the inflating and deflating controls connected to a single pair of the dolly assemblies; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale taken along line 66 on FIG. 4.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown diagrammatically a typical sports arena designated generally 10 having a generally oval playing field 11. Shown arranged along one longer side is a typical arrangement of permanently arranged spectator seating facilities 12. Abutting one end of facilities 12 are a plurality of seating sections 13, 14 and 15 having substantially the same capacity and seating arrangements as the facilities 12. It will be understood that sections 13, 14 and 15 are constructed separately from one another with the rows of seats arranged lengthwise of the sections and in tiers rising gradually from the lower inner sides toward the rear exterior sides of the sections. As will be appreciated, the particular configuration, size and seating capacity of the individual sections may vary widely and in accordance with designers choice.

Each of the mobile seating sections 13, 14 and 15 have securely but pivotally secured to the undersides of the main frame a plurality of independent unitary castering dolly assemblies designated generally 20. Referring more particularly to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6, dolly assemblies will be understood as having a main frame 21 to the upper side of which is a fifth wheel assembly 22 rigidly secured thereto by bolts 23. As best appears from FIG. 6, the fifth wheel assembly includes a lower bearing ring 25 and an upper bearing ring 26 rotatably separated from one another by two rings of ball bearings 27, 28. Upper ring 27 is rigidly secured by bolts 29 to the underside of the frame of one of the seating sections 13, 14 or 15.

Main frames 21 of the dolly assemblies are flexibly and resiliently connected to an associated two-wheel carriage unit 30 by a suspension assembly, such as that best shown in FIG. 4. This assembly includes a pair of hanger brackets 31 the lower ends of which are pivotally conneeted to one end of the spring beams 32. The other end of the spring beams is suitably connected by clamping means 33 to the carriage axle 34. Projecting from and secured to the carriage axle are brackets 35. The outer free ends of these brackets support an associated air pillow or spring 36 having its upper end underlying and secured to the adjacent end of main frame 21.

Supplementing the described suspension means are a pair of stabilizers or shock absorbers 37. The upper ends of these absorbers may be pivotally connected to the midportion of the main frame and their more widely spread lower ends similarly pivotally connected to the axle, as by pivot bolt means 38.

Referring to FIG. 3 it is pointed out that the vertical pivot axis 40 for fifth-wheel 22 is offset to one side of carriage axle 30. In consequence of this castering connection, it will be evident that the carriage wheels will automatically position themselves rearward of the fifth wheel axis 40 relative to the draught axis along which the seating section is being moved at that time. [In other words, if the applied propelling force being applied to the main frame to which the dolly is assembled acts from the left side of FIG. 3, the carriage axle will assume a position behind axis 40. On the other hand if the draught force is applied from the right side of FIG. 3, then the carriage wheels will automatically rotate until the carriage axle is located to the left of pivot axis 40.

At times it is desirable to permit castering of the wheels and at other times castering may be undesirable. To lock the wheels against castering, main frame 21 is provided with a braking device indicated generally at 43 in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. As there shown, the brake comprises a main casing 44 (FIG. 5) housing a piston 45 normally urged to its retracted position by spring 46 and provided with a piston rod 47 provided with a brake shoe 4 8 at its upper end underlying the flange of upper bearing ring 26. Normally, spring 46 holds the brake shoe retracted. However if air pressure is applied to the underside of piston 45 the brake shoe is elevated into high pressure frictional contact with the rim of ring 26 thereby locking the fifth wheel and the associated carriage wheels against pivotal movement about axis 40'.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown suitable plumbing and control components for operating brake 43 and controlling the supply of air to the air pillows 36. These components are secured to the underside of each of the mobile seating sections 13, 14 and 15 and include a quickly separable air line coupling 50' to which may be connected a flexible air supply hose 51. The downstream side of this connection leads through suitable distributing conduits to one or more air reservoirs 52 fixed to main frame 21 of each dolly. These reservoirs are normally charged with a supply of pressurized air adequate for use in moving a seating section from one place of use to another. Suitable distribution lines extend from these reservoirs to the brake and the air springs including a line 53 leading to brake 43, a line 54 leading to relay valve 55 and line 56 for supplying air to each of the air springs 36 via the self-leveling valve 57, a cut-off valve 58 and relay valve 55. The brake supply line 53 is provided with a three-way manually controlled valve 60 having a vent 61 to atmosphere. Likewise, distribution line 54 is provided with a three-way manually operated valve 62 having a vent 63 to the atmosphere.

It will be understood that the self-leveling valve 57 is any well known type having its main body rigidly securable to dolly frame 21 and provided with a pivoting operating linkage 64 of conventional construction having its remote end suitably secured to the carriage axle or some component movable with the axle. This valve functions in known manner to maintain the air springs inflated to an extent controlled by the adjustment of linkage 64. So long as the loading on the dolly remains fixed linkage 64 is positioned to prevent loss of air from or addition of pressurized air to the air springs. However if the load decreases this change is sensed by movement of linkage 64 thereby operating valve 57 to vent air from the air springs to the atmosphere via air vent 67. If, on the other hand, the loading on the dolly increases, this change is sensed by linkage 64 and the valve within housing 57 moves in a direction to admit additional air to the air springs 36 via relay valve 55 and the normally open valve 58.

Relay valve 55 is of a well known type normally biased to the position shown in FIG. 5 by a spring 69. Under these conditions the interior of the air springs is vented to the atmosphere via conduits 56, passage 70, chambers 71, 72 and vent 73. However if three-way valve 62 is adjusted to admit pressurized air from reservoirs 52 to chamber 75, valve 77 is depressed to close off the inlet to air chamber 71 and opening the spring-closed valve 78 thereby permitting pressurized air from reservoirs '52 to enter chamber 79 via the self-leveling valve 57 and to flow through passage 70 and conduits 56 to each of the air springs 36.

As air fills the air springs the latter expand and elevate the seating sections until the supporting struts 80 (FIG. 4) are elevated clear of any supporting structure. In this connection it will be understood that struts 80 project downwardly from various points along the underside of the main frame of the stadium sections a sufficient dis tance to engage the ground, suitable foundation abutments or other rigid supporting structures when the air springs are deflated. On the other hand if the air springs are inflated to elevate the seating sections, then the lower ends of struts 80 are lifted clear of the supports leaving the entire seating section supported on dolly assemblies 20. The supporting carriages for each dolly are preferably equipped with broad pneumatic tires under low pressure. The low air pressure and the large number and size of these tires employed for each seating section are effective to support the weight of the stadium sections with ease and without risk of damage to turf over Which the tires roll. If the ground should be moist and soft, planks or the like may be employed to avoid risk of cutting into the turf.

After the sections have been moved, or if at any time it is desired to lower the sections back onto supporting struts 80, valve 58 is closed and thereafter valve 62 is operated to a position venting air from chamber 75 to the atmosphere via vent 63 and cutting off the supply of air from reservoir 52. As the air bleeds from chamber 75, spring 69 lifts valve 77 upwardly thereby allowing air to bleed from the air springs 36 to the atmosphere via passage 70, chambers 71, 72 and vent 73.

To move seating sections 13, 14 and from the position shown in FIG. 2 to an alternate position suitable for viewing football, such as that shown in FIG. 1, the crew first operates the control valves in the manner described above and so as to elevate each of the sections 13, 14 and 15 onto dollies by inflating the numerous air springs 36. This having been done, the crew next proceeds to connect a powerful mobile winch 83 to one of snubbing posts 84, a series of the latter being distributed along the perimeter of playing field 11 in the manner best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The take-up reel of mobile winch 83 then has its cable 85 connected to the accessible end of the first seating section 13. The winch is then operated to pull section 13 generally toward its new position as shown in FIG. 1. After the first section has been pulled a portion of the distance away from its previous position, the crew may shift the power winch and the hauling cables to different ones of the snubbing posts and may operate one or more of the hauling lines through pulley blocks connected in various positions and to different ones of the snubbing posts. For example, FIG. 1 shows the power winch as it might be connected to move section 13 into its final rest position. In this case, cable 85 is connected to an end corner of the seating section by way of a pulley block, not shown, but anchored closely adjacent snubbing post 84.

Once one section has been pulled into position, the power winch, cabling and pulley blocks are employed in similar fashion on each of the other seating sections until each has been moved into the position shown in full lines in FIG. 1. In this position, the seating sections along either side of the field are properly positioned to provide two groups of spectators with a tfine view of a playing field suitable for playing field hockey, soccer, football and the like sports. Later, that same day or in the evening, the field may be used for a ball game. In this event, a small crew of workmen require but a brief period to move sections 13, 14 and 15 back to the position shown in FIG. 2. When so positioned all seats provide excellent seating accommodations for spectators viewing a baseball game. Moreover, all seats are situated to commend maximum prices whereas if sections 13, 14 and 15 'Were located in FIG. 1, all seats would have limited attraction and would bring much lower prices.

While the particular stadium with mobile seating sections herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. That method of moving a massive rigid non-folding structure between different stationary positions supported on the ground or the like which method comprises distributing a plurality of pneumatically tired fifth wheel dolly units beneath said structure each equipped with collapsible-extendable air pillow means interposed between their respective carriages and fifth wheels, inflating said air pillow means of said fifth wheel dolly units with pressurized air to lift said structure from one stationary position thereof thereby to support the same through a multiplicity of air pillow means effective to absorb and compensate for ground irregularities traversed by said carriage wheels while said rigid structure is being moved from one location to another, sensing changes in the loading on said air pillow means and utilizing the sensed result to vary the quantity of air in an associated one of said air pillow means thereby to assure equitable distribution of the loading between said dolly units despite variable and non-level surface conditions over which said structure is being moved, applying a draft for to said pneumatically supported structure to roll the same to a different stationary position, and releasing pressurized air from said air pillow means to lower said structure and transfer the weight thereof from said dolly units onto other support means in the new location thereof.

2. That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the use of pneumatic tires of suflicient size in relation to the weight of the structure being moved to permit rolling movement in direct contact with turf without material damage to the turf.

3. That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the utilization of automatic self-leveling means on each of said dolly units operable to vary the quantity of air in said air pillow means as necessary to compensate for changing loading conditions during rolling movement of the structure to a desired location over a supporting surface of varying firmness and surface level.

4. That method defined in claim '1 characterized in the use of dolly units having their respective fifth wheel axes offset laterally from a vertical plane parallel to and passing through the axis of the associated supporting carriage whereby said carriages castor automatically in response to the application of a draft force.

5. A large capacity stadium facility convertible between a variety of arrangements along the sides of an earth playing field, said stadium including at least one multi-ton rigid non-folding stadium section equipped with tiered rows of seats for spectators, means normally supporting said rigid structure from ground contacting supports, a plurality of ground-supported fifth wheel dolly assemblies each having a pneumatically-tired carriage supporting fifth wheel means underlying and supporting a share of said stadium through draft connection means and including normally collapsed air pillow means, and means for temporarily charging and extending said air pillow means to elevate said stadium section substantially above the supporting means therefore thereby to support said rigid stadium section on a plurality of inflated air pillows carried by said dolly assemblies while moving said stadium section to a different location on the playing field and permitting said stadium section to be moved over irregularities in the ground Without imparting harmful twisting torsional and bending stresses in said stadium section.

6. A stadium facility as defined in claim 5 characterized in that said dolly assemblies include automatic constant level means for varying the quantity of pressurized air in said air pillow means as necessary to accommodate said assemblies to changing load conditions thereon while in transit to a new location.

7. A stadium facility as defined in claim 5 characterized in that said dolly assemblies are arranged to castor automatically in response to a change in the direction of the movement of said one stadium section.

8. A stadium facility as defined in claim characterized in the provision of means for lowering said one stadium section onto a support therefor after rolling movement to a position overlying the same and including means for discharging pressurized air simultaneously from said air pillow means to lower their respective fifth wheels out of load supporting contact with said stadium section.

9. A stadium facility as defined in claim 5 characterized in the provision of mobile winch and cable means, a plurality of snubbing posts distributed about the stadium area and means including cabling and snatch block means selectively connectable bet-Ween said mobile stadium section, said mobile winch and said snubbing posts for applying a propelling force to said stadium section to move the same from place to place and in any selected horizontal direction.

10. A stadium facility as defined in claim 5 characterized in the provision of a plurality of stadium sections each provided with a plurality of similarly constructed and operated fifth wheel dolly assemblies, and each of said stadium sections being individually movable to different positions as desired for the most convenient and suitable seating of spectators for a particular event.

11. A stadium facility as defined in claim 9 characterized in that said snubbing posts are distributed at closely spaced intervals along the outer rim portion of the area occupied by said mobile stadium sections for convenience in quickly shifting snatch block means from one anchorage position to another.

12. A stadium facility as defined in claim 5 characterized in that a first part of the seating facilities of said stadium are mobile and in that a second part thereof are permanently installed along one side of an open space viewable by spectators using said facility, said mobile part of the stadium including a plurality of sections each equipped with a plurality of generally similar fifth wheel dolly assemblies, and means including a plurality of permanently installed snubbing units for moving said mobile stadium sections individually from a position across one end of said open space to an alternate spectator viewing station along a different portion of said open space.

13. A stadium facility as defined in claim 5 characterized in that said facility comprises first and second parts, said first part being immovable and said second part including a plurality of mobile sections each supportable on a separate group of ground-supported independent pivotable fifth wheel dolly assemblies equipped with normally deflated heavy duty high capacity air pillow means coupled to the dolly carriage and to the fifth wheel means thereof by pivoting draft beam means, said first stadium part being arranged along one side of a space suitable for use as a football field and said second stadium part being movable when said air pillow means are inflated to different selected positions along other sides of said space including a position along the opposite side of said space from said first stadium part as well as positions across an end of said space and preferred by spectators viewing a different type of event such as baseball, and means for inflating said air pillow means operatively associated with a mobile stadium section preliminary to the movement thereof thereby to elevate the same for support by said dolly assemblies through all of the associated ones of said air pillow means.

14. A convertible stadium facility comprising a playing field having a plurality of massive large capacity nonfolding viewing stands including both permanently installed massive stadium sections and massive mobile stadium sections, a plurality of Wheel-equipped dolly assemblies distributed beneath said massive mobile sections each provided with normally-deflated load bearing air pillow means, said wheel-equipped assemblies including constantly horizontal antifriction thrust bearings positioned between the underside of the stadium sections and said inflatable air pillow means, said inflatable air pillow means of said assemblies cooperating when inflated to support the weight of the overlying stadium section and to lift it free of contact with normal fixed supports therefor, and means for causing said wheel-equipped dolly assemblies to castor about their individual constantly vertical pivot axis in response to changes in the direction of the applied draft force used to move said stadium section to a newly selected resting place for the stadium section.

15. A stadium facility as defined in claim 14 characterized in the provision of means for deflating all of said inflatable air pillow means in unison to lower the stadium section onto rigid supports therefor at the newly selected location.

16. In combination, a rigid non-folding load-bearing structure, a plurality of independently castoring carriage assemblies distributed beneath and cooperating to support said structure and including air pillow means interposed between said structure and the carriage of each of said castoring carriage assemblies, said air pillow means being effective when inflated with pressurized air to support said structure solely on said carriage assemblies for rolling movement thereon, means for supplying pressurized air to each of said air pillow means by way of relay valve means normally biased to a position venting said air pillow means to the atmosphere, manually operable means for shifting said relay valve means to an alternate position effective to close said atmospheric vent and to admit pressurized air to all of said air pillow means thereby to elevate said structure from fixed support means to mobile support on said castoring carriage assemblies, said castoring carriage assemblies including self-leveling valve means interposed between airsprung and non-airsprung components thereof and connected in the pressurized air supply to said relay valve means, said self-leveling valve means being operable to regulate the air supplied to and vented to the atmosphere from said air pillow means when said relay valve means is shifted to the aforesaid alternate position thereof.

17. The combination defined in claim 16 characterized in the provision of manually operable valve means in the pressurized air supply to said air pillow means located ahead of said relay valve means and operable to discontinue the supply of air to said relay valve means whereupon said relay valve is operable to vent pressurized air from said air pillOW means to collapse the latter.

18. The method of moving a large area massive rigid structure without imparting harmful distorting, twisting and bending forces thereto which method comprises supporting the structure in a multiplicity of pneumatically tired fifth wheel dolly units distributed about the underside of said massive rigid structure, equipping said dolly units with inflatable air pillows effective when inflated with low pressure air to transfer load forces from said structure to the associated dolly unit and to a support surface for the latter, expanding the air pillows on said multiplicity of dolly units to provide a multiplicity of flexible resilient load-supporting low-pressure air pillows between the underside of said structure and the support surface therefor, adjusting the air pressure in some of said air pillows independently of others while the massive structure is passing over irregularities in the ground surface by adding controlled amounts of pressurized air to air pillows associated with dolly units passing over low spots in the ground and withdrawing controlled amounts of air from air pillows passing over high spots in the ground thereby to provide for the equitably-distributed and pressurizedair-cushion-support of said massive rigid structure and avoiding imparting harmful twisting and bending stresses thereto, and applying a moving force to said structure while maintaining said air pillows inflated sufiiciently to support said rigid structure on said distributed multiplicity of said air pillows.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Walworth 52-10 Lyall 280-4323 Waterbury 52-9 Feher 280-4323 Turner 280-4323 Granning 280-4323 10 FOREIGN PATENTS US. Cl. X.R. 280-6; 52-143, 741 

